The three of them sat down around the table — it was looking pretty deserted by this point. This was the Confuser’s final chance — xe wasn’t going to be able to evade again. The only opportunity xe had was to guess the original Impostor, and xe only had one vote this meeting.

 

As the three of them took their seats, the Magician looked towards the Vampire, enquiringly. Ah, I see, the Vampire thought, we’re playing it this way. Well, if it lets us win…

 

The Vampire gave a brief nod back, and could see the Confuser’s head whip around as xe noticed.

 

“Well,” the Magician started, her tones layered and smooth.

 

The Confuser grinned. “Nope! Not letting you lot pull this again.” Xe quickly tapped at the tablet, registering xir vote, before smirking at the Vampire.

 

The Vampire felt their phone vibrate, and even before looking knew what they were about to see. Then their eyes landed on the screen that triggered the exit suggestions, and dropped.

The Vampire came back up to see the Confuser staring with wide eyes at the Magician. “Oh dear,” she said, her voice smooth and soothing. “Looks like you guessed wrong.” The Vampire could feel the Magican’s stage presence in full form, making them the center of attention.

 

The Magician stood up and began strolling around to the Confuser, and xe sat there, watching, rapt. “That’s right, just keep your eyes on me, focusing so well.” The Magician knelt down beside the Confuser’s chair, cradling one hand around the back of their head, the other braced against their shoulder. The Confuser’s eyes flicked sideways, then locked back onto the Magician’s.

 

“And sleep,” the Magician commanded, yanking the Confuser’s head down. “That’s right, deeper, deeper, and deeper still. And you know you’ve lost by this point, you know what I’m about to do to you. You know that when I bring you back up, you’ll be an Impostor, and you’ll have lost. Isn’t that right?” She asked, as she nodded the Confuser’s head for them. “Yeah.”

 

“So in a moment, you’ll come back up, and you’ll say that you lost, and were made an Impostor. Coming up at your own pace and speed, when you’re ready.”

 

The Vampire watched as the Confuser’s head bobbed back up again, xir eyes still retaining a hint of glassiness as xe monotonously said, “I lost and was made an Impostor.” Then xe blinked, xir eyes clearing — before they snapped around to glare at the Magician.

 

“Oh, I’m gonna get you.”

 

The Magician grinned wolfishly. “Oh, sure, sure. Now just mark your status down on the app like a good little Impostor.” The Confuser struggled against the suggestion, but it was in vain, xir arms moving smoothly to tap xir phone. “And that’s the game! What a victory for us Impostors.”

 

The Mesmerist piped up from her position leaning against the wall, spectating. “Pretty big attrition rate on the Impostors though, that’s some solid meat shielding.”

 

The Vampire turned to grin teasingly at her. “You enjoyed it though.”

 

The Mesmerist glared as she turned as red as a tomato. “...shut up.”

 

The seven of them chatted for a while longer, revelling in their schemes and tricks. Then eventually, cards were dealt, the Conversationalist’s laptop was set up with the recording, and they all began sinking into trance once again…